Simple Question, Please. Aging EOS 7D or New 70D?

It's been quite some time since I been on the forum let alone used a camera for the greater good.

My simple question is, what is a BETTER camera (in your opinion, of course):

CANON EOS 7D or the new CANON EOS 70D? Price is not a factor for these two cameras.

If you were to recommend one of these two, what would you recommend?

My experience is limited to casual/amateur photography. People, car shows, portraits. I'd like to get more serious and eventually hone my skills.

Thank you all in advance.

I don't use Live View for autofocusing on moving stuff and I strongly dislike the combo dial on the back of the 70D, so I much prefer the 7D, until Canon puts out an actual upgrade to it.

*Better* is so subjective that it is practically useless as a descriptor without some constraints/desires stated along with it. Do you currently have a body, and if so, what is it?

i would go for the 7d,although its getting a bit lone in the in the canon line up its a fine camera,its made like a brick,fast focus,and i think one of the best mid level dslr's canon has made,to date! from what i have read,the 70d is not much better of a camera for what your using it for,i shoot lots of the same things you do,shows people,and street,and i always go for my 7d,any way,thats my two cent's on it.....

Maxxum5 wrote in post #16456377
If you were to recommend one of these two, what would you recommend?

My experience is limited to casual/amateur photography. People, car shows, portraits. I'd like to get more serious and eventually hone my skills.

Thank you all in advance.

depending on the budget consider a refurbished 6D (less than $1,300 refurbished)
or if you like crop models consider the 'aging' 60D ($550 refurb)

70D is definitely better, newer and more versatile camera, but it is smaller and lighter, so i recommend you test both cameras in store if they fit in your hands properly.

If you shoot low light landscapes and you don´t need robust AF, 6D is great.

Subscribing. I have a 60D and a 5D. I just figured the only reasonable upgrade was a 5D Mark III, which is why I am still shooting a 60D and a 5D.

70D all the way. I picked up a 70D as a backup to my 7D and one month later sold the 7D. There are a lot of things better on the 70D from the focus to the IQ and only a few reasons for the 7D of the 70D. It seems to me that people that have the 7D say get the 7D and people that have both the 7D and 70D say get the 70D

70D hands down if you are planning to buy new.

Varago wrote in post #16457509
70D all the way. I picked up a 70D as a backup to my 7D and one month later sold the 7D. There are a lot of things better on the 70D from the focus to the IQ and only a few reasons for the 7D of the 70D. It seems to me that people that have the 7D say get the 7D and people that have both the 7D and 70D say get the 70D

I bought the 70D, one week later I sold my 7D.

I say the 7d. I have had it and I loved it. My 2 cents but I still think it is the best of the crop sensor cameras. Its got the guts of the 5d mrk iii in a smaller package. Good luck with your choice! Just remember newer is not always better.

milleniumking wrote in post #16457537
I say the 7d. I have had it and I loved it. My 2 cents but I still think it is the best of the crop sensor cameras. Its got the guts of the 5d mrk iii in a smaller package.

huh???

Kinson: What i meant by that is when I use my mrk iii it feels like my 7d used too. Fast and built solid, grabs focus quickly.

Thanks all for the interesting feedback. How many others have experience with the two, 7D and 70D?

Thanks again!

My take on it is if you have to ask the 70d is probably the camera for you.

I've not used the 70d but last year I had the choice of a 7d or a 60d and I took the 60d, for my needs it was the better camera. (cost was not an issue)

The 70d, in my opinion, makes the 7d look like something out of the dark ages feature wise! Compare it to some of the latest non Canon cameras and the 7d looks and feels prehistoric.

StayFrosty wrote in post #16457674
My take on it is if you have to ask the 70d is probably the camera for you.

I've not used the 70d but last year I had the choice of a 7d or a 60d and I took the 60d, for my needs it was the better camera. (cost was not an issue)

The 70d, in my opinion, makes the 7d look like something out of the dark ages feature wise! Compare it to some of the latest non Canon cameras and the 7d looks and feels prehistoric.

You compared the 60D and 7D, bought the 60D and then think the 7D is prehistoric feature-wise?

That seems a bit odd, because the 7D offers more features over the 60D, I guess that makes the 60D even more prehistoric.

On a more serious note, there are a few things that the 7D still has up its sleeve that isn't on the 70D: burst speed, burst capacity, 100% viewfinder, and spot AF. Some of these are very small advantages, but the burst speed and capacity is pretty nice for action shooters. It's price is lower on the used market as well, so it is more budget-friendly.